Published: Thursday, September 12, 2013 at 12:23 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 12, 2013 at 12:23 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - A Manatee County judge tabled an attorney's request to dismiss battery charges against Manatee High football coach Rod Frazier on Thursday.

Edwin Mulock, Frazier's attorney, told Manatee County Judge Doug Henderson that charges outlined in prosecutor's timeframes — some of which span several years — are too broad to defend. He also requested specific times and dates related to allegations made by more than seven alleged victims.

But prosecutors said they have exhausted all options to narrow allegations of lewd behavior to specific dates, and Henderson said he would reserve judgment until the state and defense have time to sift through more details of a case involving students and staff at the flagship high school.

Frazier, a former parent liaison in charge of discipline before he resigned in July, has been charged with seven counts of simple battery for alleged unwanted touching of students and staff at Manatee High. He has also been charged with three counts of interfering with a student's attendance.

Frazier was not in court Thursday.

Henderson said he was not inclined to grant Mulock's recently amended motion to drop all charges against his client. Mulock has twice amended a motion to dismiss. The first, withdrawn earlier this week, stated the statute of limitations had expired for most charges against Frazier. Florida allows an exception for public employees.

The second asked for six counts to be dropped against Frazier because of excessive and lengthy period of time. That motion was later amended to include all ten counts against Frazier. Both battery and interfering with a student's attendance are misdemeanors.

Henderson challenged Mulock to continue with depositions of witnesses and said he would decide on any dismissal, as well as whether Mulock should be granted detailed information about alleged victims, at a later date.

“It's not a stretch for me for a student to say “I can't tell you when this happened,” Henderson said.

Frazier has been accused of groping, asking students for a nude photograph and other lewd behavior in allegations dating back to 2006. The former running backs' coach was quietly investigated by the district after a school employee wrote a letter to the principal outlining concerns by teachers of his conduct with female students.

Frazier was put on paid leave during a preliminary investigation, but returned to school in 24 hours to coach a playoff football game. Another investigation continued when a student wrote a letter that was delivered to the high school alleging that Frazier had groped her and asked her for a nude photograph. No one from the school called the police or state abuse hotline, as required by law when a Florida citizen suspects child abuse.

On Feb. 7, police started their own investigation into Frazier complaints, later implicating Frazier and four administrators, charged with failure to report child abuse. Frazier resigned from the school district in July shortly after being charged by the state.

Shortly after, the state opted to prosecute assistant superintendent Bob Gagnon, former school investigator Debra Horne and assistant principals Matthew Kane and Gregg Faller. All four administrators have been put on paid leave by the school district as it continues its own inquiry into their conduct.

Child advocates and legal experts say the four appear to be the first school officials in Florida charged under a state law that took effect in October, following the sexual molestation scandal at Penn State University. The law expanded who is responsible for reporting suspected child abuse and stiffened penalties for non-reporting.

Gagnon, Kane and Faller are also charged with lying to police during their investigation.

The administrators are scheduled to appear in court later this month for a case management hearing.

The next court date in the Frazier case is Nov. 5, when a a pre-trial conference is scheduled.

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - A Manatee County judge tabled an attorney's request to dismiss battery charges against Manatee High football coach Rod Frazier on Thursday. </p><p>Edwin Mulock, Frazier's attorney, told Manatee County Judge Doug Henderson that charges outlined in prosecutor's timeframes — some of which span several years — are too broad to defend. He also requested specific times and dates related to allegations made by more than seven alleged victims.</p><p>But prosecutors said they have exhausted all options to narrow allegations of lewd behavior to specific dates, and Henderson said he would reserve judgment until the state and defense have time to sift through more details of a case involving students and staff at the flagship high school.</p><p>Frazier, a former parent liaison in charge of discipline before he resigned in July, has been charged with seven counts of simple battery for alleged unwanted touching of students and staff at Manatee High. He has also been charged with three counts of interfering with a student's attendance.</p><p>Frazier was not in court Thursday.</p><p>Henderson said he was not inclined to grant Mulock's recently amended motion to drop all charges against his client. Mulock has twice amended a motion to dismiss. The first, withdrawn earlier this week, stated the statute of limitations had expired for most charges against Frazier. Florida allows an exception for public employees. </p><p>The second asked for six counts to be dropped against Frazier because of excessive and lengthy period of time. That motion was later amended to include all ten counts against Frazier. Both battery and interfering with a student's attendance are misdemeanors.</p><p>Henderson challenged Mulock to continue with depositions of witnesses and said he would decide on any dismissal, as well as whether Mulock should be granted detailed information about alleged victims, at a later date.</p><p>“It's not a stretch for me for a student to say “I can't tell you when this happened,” Henderson said.</p><p>Frazier has been accused of groping, asking students for a nude photograph and other lewd behavior in allegations dating back to 2006. The former running backs' coach was quietly investigated by the district after a school employee wrote a letter to the principal outlining concerns by teachers of his conduct with female students.</p><p>Frazier was put on paid leave during a preliminary investigation, but returned to school in 24 hours to coach a playoff football game. Another investigation continued when a student wrote a letter that was delivered to the high school alleging that Frazier had groped her and asked her for a nude photograph. No one from the school called the police or state abuse hotline, as required by law when a Florida citizen suspects child abuse.</p><p>On Feb. 7, police started their own investigation into Frazier complaints, later implicating Frazier and four administrators, charged with failure to report child abuse. Frazier resigned from the school district in July shortly after being charged by the state.</p><p>Shortly after, the state opted to prosecute assistant superintendent Bob Gagnon, former school investigator Debra Horne and assistant principals Matthew Kane and Gregg Faller. All four administrators have been put on paid leave by the school district as it continues its own inquiry into their conduct.</p><p>Child advocates and legal experts say the four appear to be the first school officials in Florida charged under a state law that took effect in October, following the sexual molestation scandal at Penn State University. The law expanded who is responsible for reporting suspected child abuse and stiffened penalties for non-reporting.</p><p>Gagnon, Kane and Faller are also charged with lying to police during their investigation.</p><p>The administrators are scheduled to appear in court later this month for a case management hearing.</p><p>The next court date in the Frazier case is Nov. 5, when a a pre-trial conference is scheduled.</p>